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As our understanding and awareness of who and what we are advances through the grueling gauntlet of scientific process, we continually face a debilitating dilemma: we must simultaneously question everything and at the same time proceed as if we know something. As a result we continually battle ourselves, questioning the ground on which we stand while using that same ground to prove our questions irrelevant. It's a gift, then, when a writer emerges who will grapple with any of these battles at the event horizon between science and conjecture and take himself wholly into the fray, reporting back to us the subtle forces at work within the storm and how those forces play upon him and the subject he explores.
In Old Souls, journalist Tom Shroder manages this feat and hands us a volume that is considerable and engaging. Not only do we explore the work of a brave and committed researcher on the slippery slope of reincarnation, we are also treated to a remarkable tour of worlds foreign to us: human existence in post-war Beirut and in the depths of poverty in India. Through the entire journey, Mr. Shroder keeps the primary question lively, carrying the reader through to a closing bit of personal memoir that brilliantly ties the book together into a provocative whole.
Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, you can't help but appreciate Mr. Shroder's disciplined, scrupulously fair, and soul-searching explication. Along the way, we learn immensely about the process as it is revealed and a great deal about exploration itself. The book works on many levels, and readers will benefit from them all. --Donald A. Freas
Book Description
A riveting firsthand account of one man's mission to investigate and document some of the most astonishing untold phenomena of our time
All across the globe, small children spontaneously speak of previous lives, beg to be taken "home," pine for mothers and husbands and mistresses from another life, and know things that there seems to be no normal way for them to know. From the moment these children can talk, they speak of people and events from the past -- not vague stories of centuries ago, but details of specific, identifiable individuals who may have died just months, weeks, or even hours before the birth of the child in question.
For thirty-seven years, Dr. Ian Stevenson has traveled the world from Lebanon to suburban Virginia investigating and documenting more than two thousand of these past life memory cases. Now, his essentially unknown work is being brought to the mainstream by Tom Shroder, the first journalist to have the privilege of accompanying Dr. Stevenson in his fieldwork. Shroder follows Stevenson into the lives of children and families touched by this phenomenon, changing from skeptic to believer as he comes face-to-face with concrete evidence he cannot discount in this spellbinding and true story.
Customer Reviews:
Past lives revisited.......2007-08-24
Anyone interested in past life regression and reincarnation will appreciate this book. It is the attempt by a medical doctor and a journalist to compile a list of personal testimonies from the least corruptable members of society (children). The reason children are target of this research is the fact that they are the most open minded and sincere in expressing themselves regardless if they are speaking to their family members or strangers. Creators of this research travel to Lebanon and India as well as across US to find cases where children claiming their past life can tell their story and the story can be substantiated either from the newspaper articles of known history from families and friends. It is an interesting attempt, but it raises more questions than answers. If every body has a soul, then where does the new soul go, if the old soul wants to enter the body in order to get reincarnated? We never really get an answer to that question. Why some "old souls" live life many times over while other souls live only once. Many books on reincarnation claim that soul will live as many lives as necessary until they complete their purpose, after which they turn into angel, or a spirit or any other spiritual entity knwon to spiritual world. This book does not talk about any of it at all. In many cases, incidences described in the book sound more of a curse than blessing for the child participant. The only feeling this book may rise in you is that you will either wish you are not someone else's reincarnated version of the themselves, or you will long for the fact that you do not recall being reincarnated at all - wondering for the reasons of why not.
Good Subject, Way Too Much Personal Narrative........2007-07-09
I kept waiting for the author to actually get to the point. He describes every little detail to absurdity. I want to know about the actual subject matter, not in vast detail about the car they drove, the room, etc. I'm up to page 46 and still just a bunch of personal narration. It's like watching Seinfeld, nothing has come together yet even close to the main subject. Like reading a phone book. Hopefully he'll eventually get to the real subject at hand soon. Way too much prologue.
Old Souls.......2007-05-30
Emphasis was placed upon the adjectives in this book. The stories were painted as pictures, so clearly that the reader is allowed to enter the interviews with each individual person. The wording and placement in time was so vividly evident that one could truly enjoy the content and develop interest with the beauty of the writing in itself. However, it is important to admit that the content of his stories and research, itself, was also highly interesting, intriguing, and eye opening. There were points of shock, slight points of confusion, and several points leading to "ah - ha," within the text. Tom Shroder, the first journalist to have been present with Dr. Stevenson during fieldwork studies, was fabulous at bringing you to a point, by way of lead and follow. He clearly wants you to understand how he arrived at conclusions, not allowing you to be judgmental without knowing his historical findings.
There were so many stories that appeared flawless, despite slight contradictions from the interviews conducted. The photographs shown, within the text also depict strong resemblance to the people who claim to have lived a past life to those who are alive at the time of question. The fascinating part of this was that Dr. Ian Stevenson made efforts to locate and meet the past life families of these individuals, well into his old age. He fought for answers, for as long as he was able.
I felt some confusion within the course of the book. It seemed to lead us to think that only the soul was transferred from one body to another body. It brought up the theory that the body was like clothing to the soul and could be changed without consequence, after death. However, later into the stories, the author seemed to show more and more about shared birth marks from the deceased to the new born person, and other physical similarities, not just mental transfer, but almost total all body transfers. I would like to know more about how much of a person, if truly possible, can be re-created in another body? Also, as Dr. Stevenson struggled to figure out, does the transfer of soul happen at birth? Conception? After birth? How does that soul chose its new body to belong to? Does the soul decide?
This reading has brought me into an entirely new world of interest. I plan to obtain more information within this subject for further education about the beliefs and research leading to reincarnation.
A bit redundant.......2007-04-01
There was a lot information in this book to disseminate. It could have been shorter. Interesting, nonetheless. Very provocative and rang true.
I MISS HER SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-03-09
I bought this book because of my granddaughter. She is 4 years old and has spoken to me about a previous life. In this previous life that she speaks of her mother had died. When she talks about how much she misses this other mother she will say it with such strong deep sad feelings.
Reading "Old Souls" kept my attention through the whole book. I admire Dr. Stevenson dedication to his work. I feel that he has proved that there is reincarnation. As far as my granddaughter is concerned there is definitely something to what she says because I don't think a 4 year old could talk about a previous life with such deep feelings.
Average customer rating:
- Where's the editor?
- A Complicated Trial Scene To 'Beat All'
- Court TV in Print
- Slow at first but picks up in the middle through the end
- Left Field Ending
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Compelling Evidence
Steve Martini
Manufacturer: Putnam Pub Group (T)
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ASIN: 0399137122 |
Book Description
In the gripping tradition of Presumed Innocent, Compelling Evidence is a courtroom drama of epic proportions. Mesmerizing in its pace, captivating in its action, this story will hold the listener right up to its final verdict and shocking conclusion. Defense attorney Paul Madriani was on the rise with the firm of Potter and Skarpellos until a short-lived affair with Potter's wife cost him his job. Now, Potter's wife is accused of murdering her husband, and Paul is forced to uncover secrets that may end his career - and his life.
Customer Reviews:
Where's the editor?.......2006-08-14
Martini is a talented writer, but he has one quirk that will drive you crazy. Instead of describing a character's expression, he simply writes that the character "makes a face."
Page 26: "He makes a face. Like he's never considered this before."
Page 67: "I make a face. 'Enjoying it enough. Now ask me if I'm making any money.'"
Page 89: "I make a face -- novel, but I'm not convinced that it represents a new low in the ethos of our public servants."
Page 107: "He makes a face. 'I haven't seen all the evidence.'"
These are just examples I turned up in a couple of minutes of leafing through the book at random; there are many, many more. Why didn't an editor deal with this?
A Complicated Trial Scene To 'Beat All'.......2006-08-12
It's fairly well known that one who represents himself in a court of law is a fool. It's equilavent to trying to be your own physician. A lawyer emotionally involved in the case, such as this one, is such a fool, but he was rooked into trying to defind his ex-lover, the wife of the prominent lawyer who is found murdered. He is set up by one of the other attorneys in the firm who will profit the most if the wife is out of the way. "It is the first of punishments, that no guilty man is acquitted if judged by himself." As a legal secretary, I had the occasion to watch first hand as the guilty went free, depending on the acting ability and sometimes friendship with the presiding judge of the defendant's lawyer. Courtroom law is like a stage and the prosecution and defense is all acting. Knowing Randy Nichols as I do, he lets women get killed simply because the prosecutors won't protect them from predators, and his corrupt office won't take a case they can't win. That's law today.
Another writer of courtroom cases, both he and Steve Martini being former trial lawyers, John Grisham has to say about this book: "a carefully written 'tale' of trial warfare, research is flawless, with the story including two elements essential to good suspense; a sympathetic hero and narrative tension." Many books have that; it's only the crime which is different. Lawyers are merely actors who know how to debate. They work primarily for the person who pays the most and cares less about society, punishing the person who did the crime. His aim is to get him off at all costs, unless he is an appointed defense and can live with an easy conscience that it was not his job to free the guilty. Crime takes place everywhere; the poor end up in prison while the rich live their good lives with no conscience.
Court TV in Print.......2005-08-20
If you enjoy simile-ridden narratives of Court TV, you'll probably enjoy this book. Dialogue and narrative are pretty evenly paced, and the storyline keeps the reader modestly engaged. Is it enthralling? By no means. Are there surprises? Only who really did it at the very end, otherwise everything is pretty perfunctory and matter of fact. We know the defendant didn't do it, and the suspicion cast on a third party is too obvious from the beginning to be the real culprit at the end.
The storyline is simple: A separated defense lawyer, who has had a liaison with his former boss's wife, decides against a conflict of interest to defend her against charges that she murdered her husband. The rest is pretty much the ins and outs of the trial - and a few diversionary, inconsequential motifs about another client and the attorney's embittered wife. All in all, a fairly ho-hum read. I even considered ditching the whole enterprise about midway, but am glad I persevered. Will I read another Martini? Only the other one I bought at the same time, but I otherwise wouldn't bother.
Slow at first but picks up in the middle through the end.......2004-05-22
I had a really hard time getting into this book. I also felt like the character development was a little shallow. However, I did enjoy the courtroom banter during the trial. The author did an excellent job of making the legal process easy to follow, with brief explanations along the way. The book became more interesting and harder to put down as I got deeper into it. I would have preferred a bit more substance to the ending.
I don't appreciate one of the other reviewers giving the ending away. Not cool.
Left Field Ending.......2004-02-10
Not bad. Was actually closer to a 4 star until the end. The ending sort of came out of left field, and what had been a good book turned into a so-so book. All in all, fairly mediocre..
Book Description
The American family is changing. Divorce, single parents, and stepfamilies are redefining the way we live together and raise our children. Is this a change for the worse? David Popenoe sets out the case for fatherhood and the two-parent family as the best arrangement for ensuring the well-being and future development of children. His argument has two critical assumptions, which he supports with evidence from a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, biology, and history. The first is that children flourish best when raised by a father and a mother with their differing psychological and behavioral traits. The second is that marriage, which serves to hold fathers to the mother-child bond, is an institution we must strengthen if the decline of fatherhood is to be reversed.
Customer Reviews:
Popenoe has written a vital book on fatherhood........1999-06-22
With all of the various problems associated with the youth of our country - violence, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy, lower academic achievements, etc. - it is time that we consider how fathers can make a positive difference. Popenoe makes a strong case using authentic, supportive evidence for his conclusions about the unique contributions of father and the need to restore marriage. Even with research citations, the book is not difficult to read except for the pain of perhaps "having your toes stepped on". But Popenoe manages to do this with tact and honesty as well as offer comprehensive solutions in which everyone can participate to help our nation's children. I would recommend this book whether you are a parent, educator, or in some other profession involving children and families.
The importance of fatherhood.......1997-01-29
Author marshals significant amount of factual and statisical
information to justify the importance of intact families. The subject matter is "politically incorrect" considering that any group of disparate individuals may call themselves
a family now days but Popenoe argues persuasively that the
best conditions for raising emotionally healthy children are
in families units containing the biological father. He also
uses the emerging field of evolutionary psychology to bolster his arguments. Try bringing up the topic of importance of biological fathers with your acquaintances to find out how loaded this subject is.
Customer Reviews:
Not for the timid, the faint-hearted or the cowardly.......2007-07-31
This review is based on the online version of the book, which I am relying on, pending the forthcoming 8th edition.
This is the kind of book that almost all reviewers give either five stars or one. I'm the first 3-star reviewer. It worked, right? You were curious enough to read this review out of the dozens of others.
Whether you find it persuasive or not, there can be no disagreement that this book by Dr Walt Brown (PhD MIT (Mechanical Engineering), Air Force Academy tenured professor (retired), Air Force Colonel (ret.), studied geology at Arizona State University), presents a theory which is stunning in the extent of its scope and the observed natural phenomena that it seeks to explain: from molten rock in the very depths of the earth to comets that traverse the far reaches of the solar system. One gets the distinct impression that Hydroplate Theory did not begin as an attempt to explain such a vast range of physical phenomena, but that it developed to do so, as one set of results connected with other observations and suggested new avenues of explanatory power.
Hydroplate Theory begins by postulating a set of initial conditions -- a vast subterranean water chamber sealed deep beneath a rock crust -- in a recently created earth. These set of initial conditions are not plucked from the blue, but are prompted by and consistent with a number of Biblical passages (obviously including the early chapters of Genesis, but also the Psalms and 2 Peter). Dr Brown is certainly not ashamed of his Christian faith. But as a scientific theory, Hydroplate Theory should stand or fall on its faithfulness to known physical laws (eg: conservation of matter-energy, the law of gravity, etc, etc) and its consistency with observed experimental and natural phenomena.
At this point, therefore, readers who do not accept the truth claims of the Bible can suspend their judgement, accept the posited initial conditions for the sake of exploring the argument as a 'what if' chain of physical reasoning. Those who have grown up on far-out science fiction have no excuse for being unable to exercise their mind's imagination in this way.
But this is not presented as a work of science fiction. On the contrary, Hydroplate Theory is a thoroughly serious effort to see what would happen if the laws of physics are applied to the set of initial conditions defined. The chain of events described is extremely dramatic. Super-critical subterranean fluid released in supersonic jets with sufficient energy and velocity to launch asteroids and comets, rapidly sliding continent-scale hydroplates, and rock buckling rapidly to create present-day mountains, is certainly not a scenario for the faint-hearted! The natural initial reaction of most readers -- both evolutionist sceptics and professing Christians encountering this for the first time -- is to laugh at the apparent absurdity and throw the book away.
But readers with a solid technical background who resist this impulse will be rewarded by being challenged to wrestle with some heavy-duty (well beyond industrial strength) engineering physics. To succeed, each individual component of Hydroplate Theory needs firstly to be shown to be consistent with known physical laws and secondly to be shown to be consistent with observed phenomena, and such laboratory or field scale experiments as it is possible to undertake. Some such experiments are described in the book. Numerous observed natural phenomena are referenced in support of the theory and the ability or inability of competing theories to explain them are compared. Particularly interesting in this respect are a number of tables with each row representing an observed phenomena and each column a competing theory.
The presentation of Hydroplate Theory is in "Part II: Fountains of the Great Deep." It brings all of the engineering sciences into play: fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, mechanics of materials, material science and chemistry, as well as celestial mechanics. Key numbers (inputs to and results from calculations) and diagrams are provided in the book. But many, if not most, of the detailed technical physics calculations necessary to confirm or deny the theoretical viability of the theory are left to the reader to undertake. Mechanical engineers, probably chemical engineers, maybe civil engineers, and capable physicists should be capable of undertaking such calculations. The book should be accepted as a genuine challenge by such readers.
Some readers may have prior assumptions (eg: the age of the earth or disbelief in the existence of the Creator) that act as a barrier to their acceptance of the initial conditions required for the Hydroplate Theory, even merely for the sake of making the calculations or following the reasoning presented on a 'what if' basis. "Part I: The Scientific Case for Creation" would seem to be intended for such readers. It presents very briefly, mostly in summary overview fashion, a compendium of grounds for rejecting evolutionary hypotheses. It is systematically arranged in three categories: the biosphere (the life sciences), the cosmos beyond the biosphere (the astronomical and physical sciences) and the realm below the biosphere (the earth sciences). Based on a once-through reading of Part I, a sceptical reader may not be persuaded, right there and then, to reject the wide gamut of evolutionary theories from the big bang to human evolution. However, it is sufficiently thorough and comprehensive to warrant a good faith reading of Part II, at least on the basis of 'what if' acceptance of the initial conditions.
Part III contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
This is a book for a general audience, characterised by approachable visualisations that most people can readily grasp to explain established physical phenomena. Sceptics who approach it in good faith and with an open mind will find plenty of material of both a theoretical and observational nature to challenge their explanations. Hydroplate Theory, first published in 1980 and refined and updated since, strikes this reviewer as the most robust candidate for a Young Earth Creationist (YEC) theoretical model of Creation, pre-Flood and post-Flood natural history consistent with (a) the Biblical account, (b) natural and experimental observed phenomena and (c) known physcial laws. But it is probably fair to say that it has not (or at least not yet) become THE standard YEC account. Nevertheless, YECs are likely to find it strengthens their views, while surprising them in a number of areas and prompting re-evaluation of some views.
As Dr Brown points out, multiple, parallel working hypotheses are a better basis for scientific inquiry than blind adherence to one single hypothesis or set of starting assumptions.
It's each individual's own responsibility to WEIGH THE EVIDENCE according to their own ability and understanding.
Research of the First Order..........2007-07-08
This is a remarkable book and truly as the subtitle suggests, "Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood." In the form of a textbook, with pictures and graphs that for the most part complement the text. It can be read out of chapter sequence without a problem and is chock-full of bibliography and footnotes. I appreciated, as a teacher, how Dr. Brown lays out the opposing views and is not squeamish in pointing out the small points in the Hydroplate Theory that are weak as he outlines all the relevant theories in chart form in some chapters. It's split into three parts: The Scientific Case for Creation, Fountains of the Deep (where the Hydroplate Theory is summarized along with Origins of Ocean Trenches, Liquefaction, Origin of Limestone, Frozen Mammoths, Origin of Comets, Asteroids and Meteorids), and the third part is Frequently Asked Questions containing 28 topics including "How can the study of Creation be scientific" and "How accurate is Radiocarbon Dating" (fascinating in it's own right)... in a final section called Technical Notes, there are topics that are extremely technical: "How long would it take the moon to recede from Earth to its present position?"; "How much dust and meteoritic debris should the moon have if it is 4.6 million years old?"; "Does subduction really occur?"; and "...Can mountains buckle?"; "Energy in Subterranean Water"; "Melting the Inner Earth".
I happened to discover the Hydroplate Theory during a session at a Homeschooling Conference in Boston this Spring and was shocked that I'd never heard of it before. It's incredible in it's erudition... Dr. Brown has most definitely thought this theory out, sideways and backways. It's incredible how it explains nearly all known geologic, atmospheric and solar system phenomena, plausibly and beyond a reasonable doubt.
Even though a new 8th edition is scheduled for next summer, according to Dr. Brown's website, this 7th edition is TOO IMPORTANT to not get now if you're at all interested in learning something new and amazing. I intend to get the 8th edition as well when it arrives.
My only complaint is the price... it's worth it don't get me wrong, but it might find a larger audience if there was a trade paperback edition available instead of only the hardcover.
There's only one good thing about this book..........2007-06-19
...and that's the title. I can only hope that people looking for this book will, after doing a title search, come across Brian Fagan and Christopher DeCorse's In the Beginning: an Introduction to Archaeology. By doing so, they might learn what archaeology is all about and how it works. They might also learn about the many methods of dating artifacts and objects, a clearly misunderstood area of this debate. Stratigraphy, dendrochronology, obsidian hydration, carbon-14, potassium-argon, thermoluminescence, fission track, uranium series, electronic spin resonance, and archaeomagnetic dating, just to name a few of the absolute dating methods. Brown clearly has an agenda he is furthering by using data in very manipulative ways. It saddens me that he does this, and that many people are drawn in by this.
Part of a bigger picture.......2007-05-23
The automatic assumption of a evolutionist is that this book is a psuedo-science dimissal of known facts.
However ideology seems to influence Walt Brown less than most scientific avocates who readily dismiss contradictory evidence with out emperical evidence or experimentation.
I would suggest also Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Annointed as a social companion to the mindset of the critics of this excellent work.
Alternative Science: Taking It On the Chin.......2007-05-16
As truly a lay person whose hobby is all things science, a science teacher, and someone with an open mind (who is, above all else--in the interest of full disclosure--a Christian), I find Brown's work to be very intriguing. None of the stories men of learned minds and great pedigree have come up with works to explain the physical realities around us 100%, especially on origins or how geology can help us understand the ancient past. Neither does this one. However, it sure is a serious contender--especially when you realize the length and breadth of the weaknesses of the prevailing theories on the many topics this book addresses. I am not saying Brown's work is super-strong with this statement. I am saying they all are much weaker than we want our explanations and understanding of the world around us to be.
That said, I still really like the work done here. It needs tweaking, and, to Brown's credit, he keeps tweaking it over and over again as the years pass by. The next edition (the 8th) is basically what he has up on the web now, and it addresses some weaknesses previously pointed to.
So, this work is as empirically sound as any science can be when it is hoping to speculate on things long past. Read a book on prevailing theory behind plate tectonics or evolutionary theory or geology, and then read Brown's work. You will find that you have to make many decisions about which aspects of each of them you believe, and it won't be easy. There's a lot to slog through, and he is thorough. Also, he's treading in territory a lot of these other theories avoid, so some of it you have decide to take at face value or not until you can do your own seismic soundings, ice-core drillings, etc. The same goes for all such works.
If you're going to keep reading this long review, I'm going to take a second and make a few things clear about me:
As an Orthodox Christian, I have no theological reason to buy into young-earth Creationism, to feel a need to disprove evolution, or any of this. The Orthodox Church just doesn't care to say much more than however it happened, you can be 100% sure that it was God's work. Theistic evolution, billions of years old earth, you can have me. Just not to the exclusion of my faith. So, I have no theological horse in the race.
I do, however, have a mental need to be convinced of any theory before I might say I believe it. Based on empirical evidence, sound reasoning, a minimum of assumptions, etc. For example, while it would be much easier to just swallow and regurgitate the consensus rulings on the following topics, I can't. I don't buy subduction the more I read about what evidence would be needed to support it. I don't buy any form of macroevolution--but do believe in genetic change over time, even extreme change, as a result of losses in genetic information--not increasing complexity brought about by chance and sorted by any kind of natural selection fairy. I don't feel Genesis forces a young earth on its readers at all. So, don't box me into the Creationist Fool category. Put me in the Fool Who Thinks He Can Reason Out Facts For Himself category. I know "real" scientists hate this Fool even worse than the other kind. This kind of Fool makes them defend their works in the arena of common sense and empirical data from outside the box they might not be aware they have placed themselves. Infuriating.
Anyway, I like the book. I recommend the newest edition. It needs to be put alongside all other serious works on the various topics it addresses and dealt with. There are parts I don't buy. There is a lot I think is compelling and clearly explains things in the natural world that other theories simply don't. For that reason, it should be more food for thought than the object of derision it is. Brown is a pariah in the scientific community. On some fronts, he can be declared fallible. On too much of the backbone of his story about Flood catastrophism, he is simply unanswered.
I find the various published attacks on Brown's work to be very interesting. Google hydroplate theory and read the first 20 pages that come up. Most of it will be highly critical and derisive of his work in tone. Most of it will speak from a set of assumptions you may buy--or you may not. A lot of the criticism is shallow in that it does not address the weaknesses of their theory they champion as pointed out in Brown's work, nor do they attack the greatest strengths of his work. There's nit-picking with extreme prejudice, and most of it loses any umph if you haven't bought what they were selling in the first place. They look no better after reading Brown--or reading their critique of Brown. And Brown doesn't look worse, either. Oddly, they don't defend vigorously against his reasons for why they are wrong. Simply repeating the consenus line does not actually reinforce it. It is very strange. And somewhat telling . . . It's like watching a boxer keep landing light punches that can't win the fight because he's convinced the other guy is going to forfeit any minute--or, more likey, that the fight isn't for a title so it doesn't matter how this one goes. I think it illustrates the depth of the influence of assumptions.
In the end, a great work, warts and all.
Book Description
A breakthrough of enormous proportions, this multidisciplinary study examines evidence of a great catastrophe that occurred 11,500 years ago.
Customer Reviews:
CATACTYSM: COMPELLING EVIDENCE OF A COSMIC CATASTROPHE IN 9500 B.C........2007-09-09
This is an amazing book of scientific fact. I have read, over the years, various accounts of advanced civilizations, from Egypt to the Americas, and other accounts of the so-called "Noa's Ark" that all resulted from unknown calamities that went unexplained. This book pulls it all together and offers a clear explanation as to what probably took place 11,500 years ago!
John McCauley
He who laughs last, laughs best!.......2007-06-24
Some comments about this book:
1.) A book with an odd or even incorrect theory can be of enormous utility if it illustrates, documents and footnotes a large number of scientific anomalies. Aside from the many books of William Corliss, this book must be near the top of the heap in that category. You can enjoy this book and even cherish it without accepting the specific theory that the book proposes as an explanation of all the anomalies it reports.
2.) The book proposes a cosmic cataclysm about 11,500 BC. In order to get a wonderful primer on how these authors may indeed have the "best and last laugh" even regarding the essential correctness of their theory..., use Google to find a set of videos on YouTube with these search terms: Comet Catastrophe 12,500 BP (before present). There are seven video segments with almost an hour of material from a recent, (May 2007) meeting of professional geologists (the American Geophysical Union meeting). Watch these video segments, and then buy a copy of Cataclysm! Then also buy the Book by Richard Firestone. If you buy and read both of these books, I think you will agree that some of the reviewers who have slammed Cataclysm may find themselves changing their minds. Yes there were ice ages, but there were also sudden extreme events - such as the one that brought on the so-called Younger Dryas, a 1200 year cold spell before the end of the last ice age.
3.) In the 4th segment of YouTube video: Comet Catastrophe, note that one of the scientists answers a question from the audience about whether there were any North American Indian legends that might contain recollections of the event. His answer is yes. And if you buy Cataclysm!, you will be able to read alot of excerpts of such stories. And if those excerpts intrigue you (as they did me), the copious footnotes will help you find the original source materials.
What other books should you buy if you find that you like this one? Buy all the books by Irish Dendrochronologist Mike Baillie and his co-authors. These books will introduce you to how long tree-ring chronologies are telling us about several abrupt, global climate disasters in the past 5000 years that may have been caused by impacts or interactions with comets. Buy a used, hardcover copy of Ragnarok by Ignatius Donnelly, wherein you can read a wonderful summary of evidences from human mythologies that led Donnelly to opine (in 1880 !!!) that Earth has been hit by a comet at least once during the tenure and written memory of mankind. (Donnelly was so far ahead of his time, that he is still ahead of ours...) And then familiarize yourself with the wonderful body of work on the K/T boundary through a tome like GSA Special Publication 356 or something like it. The reason for the latter is because Firestone and his colleagues are going to precipitate the same type of revolution in paleontology that Alvarez and his co-workers wrought in the 1980's by hypothesizing and then proving that Earth was struck by a speeding asteroid. Alot of the evidence for the Younger Dryas event is similar, and some of the same investigators who found critical chemical clues in the K/T boundary layers are doing so again in the end-Clovis "black mat." Also, I recommend all the books by Clube, Napier and Bailey - most especially Cosmic Winter, Cosmic Serpent and the Origin of Comets.
Lastly, keep your eyes open for a Discovery Channel special with a similar title: Comet Catastrophe. This special, which has apparently already aired in Canada, will feature Dr. Dallas Abbott and a colleague Dee Breger in program that will discuss powerful evidence of an Indian Ocean impact about 5000 years ago that left an 18 mile crater under 2.5 miles of water, and a 1/4 mile thick tsunami deposit 45 kilometers across on the southern shores of Madagascar.
So what does all this mean? It means that the surface of the Earth is a more dangerous place than most astronomers (especially on this side of the Atlantic) think. It means that there have been significant impact events at least once and perhaps dozens of times during the written memory of men on the Earth. It means that it would be really smart for us to pay attention to all these scientific developments and to respond in thoughtful ways to the warning being delivered by living voices, and also the warnings delivered to us in many myths and legends.
A fascinating read.......2007-01-09
The authors make a most compelling presentation of this very unorthodox interpretation of recent geology. The story is so good that it makes you wish it were literally true, perhaps it is. I can only hope that other scientists will take it seriously and subject it to the ultimate scientific test, falsifiability.
Exposing establishment lies.......2006-05-07
The establishment must pan a work of this nature. It threatens their very being, their status, their intelligence, even their ability to procreate with high quality members of the opposite sex.
It's easy for the establishment to find problems in this kind of work as it covers in a few pages what could be done in a million.
Almost everything that is today written about pre-history must go through the biases of the establishment. That means that disorder is ordered (the facts are bent) to satisfy these biases. A quick look at the book, "Forbidden Archaeology," reveals the wholesale bending of the truth by the establishment and its destruction of anything and anyone that disagrees with the current paradigm.
I for one am tired of these establishment lies and thrilled at a chance to see what human pre-history may really have been like.
An Important Book.......2005-10-30
The publisher and authors of Cataclysm are to be congratulated for not dumbing down the prodigious amount of scientific material indicating a cataclysm occurring aobut 11,000 years ago. Finally, we now have all the references and sources that are just passingly referred to in other catastrophe books. This is an important book; one that bases surprising conclusions on the scientific evidence and not speculation or wishful thinking.
Book Description
Is it Reasonable to Believe?
Remarkably, even though millions upon millions of us do believe in God, when we are asked why we have such faith, we become tongue-tied and struggle to give a reason for our hope. No wonder those who don't believe God exists remain unconvinced and mdash;there's too few of us ready to speak on God's behalf!
Ken Boa and Robert Bowman, have provided a resource that tackles the most profound arguments from philosophy, science, sociology, psychology, and history ... and presents twenty clear, concise, and compelling evidences that show that faith in God and mdash;and specifically Jesus Christ and mdash;is reasonable.
Customer Reviews:
Your typical christian un-scientific fable.........2006-11-27
This book is obviously not in any way connected with science and real evidence. The author even lies straight out about different matters regarding science. One has to wonder how some people can accept whatever is offered them so long as it is in agreement with what they already thought. So then why even NEED evidence if you're that dumbfounded and biased from the start..? I'll never know.
The day there are evidence for gods we'll read the scientific reports in the news and see it on TV. Untill then all we can do is being amazed over how adults can still belive in fairy tales. Do you belive in Poseidon? No. You're an atheist regarding Zeus. Me too, and I just go one god further. Snap out of it already!
Grips your interest and provides ammunition for the beleaguered Christian.......2006-04-04
Just as its title says, 20 Compelling Evidences takes a deep look at how we can know for sure that God exists. The Foreword is an interesting discussion about our relevant doubts and how to find answers for them. Then the evidences begin. Commencing with reality, knowledge, and existence, the authors reach outward to the Universe, life's origins, and a fallen world, and then take a hard look at the Bible, its reliability, prophecies, and wisdom and our Lord's own life and those who have lived for Him. It is written with humor and fact, embellished with quotes ranging from Scripture to Lily Tomlin, firmly seated in the Bible, a wide range of data, and intense research. Closing materials include useful indices and a Reader's Guide which will help with focusing the information and in group discussions.
Graduate of several prestigious schools including Dallas Theological Seminary and Oxford University, head of Reflection Ministries, and prolific author, Kenneth Boa brings wide experience and knowledge to this book. Professor of Christian Apologetics and Christian researcher, Robert Bowman provides a strong base of facts. 20 Compelling Evidences is the most recent book in an honorable genre with a long lineage, going all the way back to our Christian forebears and the New Testament era. It still behooves Christians to know what they believe, why they believe it, and how to voice these beliefs to honest questioners and as well as scoffers. This book both grips the interest and provides ammunition for the beleaguered Christian. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book Previews.com
Probably the worst book I have ever read.......2005-09-29
For starters, this book seems fairly substantial...until you open it. I laughed out loud when I saw that the only reason it is 276 pages is because it is triple spaced throughout with big gaps between paragraphs. If it was printed like most any book you see, it wouldn't be 100 pages long.
The arguments are among the weakest I've ever seen.
For example, chapter 4 provides a chronology of scientific thought from Einstein to the 1970's on the question of whether the universe is expanding or not. The authors point out that many scientists, including Einstein, resisted the idea of the universe having a beginning because a begining implies the existence of a beginner. Obviously this is silly (and patently false) since scientists don't ask the question, "Does this imply a god?" when formulating hypotheses and conducting experiments. They consider only facts that can be tested and proven.
Ultimately of course, everyone accepted the idea of an expanding universe as a scientific fact and the authers cite that as evidence God exists. (Which is ironic since fundamentalist christians were among the last to accept the idea of the big bang and the most fundamentalist still do not accept it.) Perhaps that is the case yet there is no evidence of a creator in that line of thinking. Essentially, the authors are assuming that where no explanation exists, there can only be one answer: God and not just any God but their God.
It is interesting to me that there are so few books on this topic. After reading the pathetic arguments contained in this one I think I understand why.
A must read for anyone interested in religion.......2005-09-09
Really good book! I would recommend this book to anybody. While their chapter on prophecy hints their dispensational slant (referring to the significance of Israel occupying Palestine and the dates 1948 & 1967), they don't spend a lot of time on the subject. The book makes a strong case for the existence of God that a non-Christian could read and understand. I enjoyed their lists of books at the end of each chapter for people who want to read further on the subjects discussed.
Compelling evidences leave one hungry for more.......2003-01-24
This book merely whets one's appetite. The arguments presented are truly compelling evidences for God's existence as the title suggests, but they lack the detailed substance that the topic requires. But readers are forced to dig elsewhere to resolve missing details. This entire book is like a preface to the real arguments. It's best feature are it's quotes, bibliographies and endnotes. These features lead the reader on to more meaty details. This book does a valuable service in introducing (scientific and theological) laymen to the true arguments and debates that surround the evidences presented here. The writing is geared to people who are just getting acquainted with the arguments. Folks with some study behind them will be disappointed. Look through the notes and bibliography and if you've read 50% of what's there, you can pass the book along to an uninitiated friend. However, another valuable service of the book is that it provides easy to remember analogies that readers can carry with them into discussions on God's existence. If you've ever been in a discussion and couldn't quite remember the facts of your case, their handy analogies will prove a big help. I believe it's still worth having as an introduction and for it's references. Their writing style is easy and fluid as well.
Book Description
The most comprehensive reconstruction of the history and fate of the legendary ancient civilization of Atlantis
• Draws together compelling evidence from geology, astronomy, myths, and ancient texts to prove the existence of Atlantean civilization and its catastrophic end
• Includes a vivid narrative that re-creates the last days of Atlantis
All human cultures, from classical and biblical to native North and South American, share the myth of an ancient deluge that often coincides with a rain of fire from the heavens. Now, in The Destruction of Atlantis, author Frank Joseph links this worldwide cultural phenomenon to the story of the lost civilization of Atlantis, which in a single day and night disappeared into the sea in a violent cataclysm.
In the most comprehensive account of this legendary island, Frank Joseph provides compelling evidence based on 20 years of research around the globe that Atlantis was at the root of all subsequent human civilizations. Refuting modern skepticism, he provides evidence from archaeology, geology, astronomy, and ancient lore to prove the existence of Atlantean civilization in the context of Near Eastern Bronze Age society at the end of the 13th century B.C.E. He combines hard scientific evidence with a stunning and imaginative re-creation of what it must have been like to walk the streets of Atlantis in its last days. The resulting portrait of a mighty empire corrupted by an overreaching lust for wealth and power offers an important lesson to our own materialistic civilization.
Customer Reviews:
More Of A Discussion Of Catastrophe Myths.......2005-06-19
I ordered this book after reading the author's wonderful:
Edgar Cayce's Atlantis and Lemuria: The Lost Civilizations in the Light of Modern Discoveries
by Frank Joseph
In "Edgar Cayce's Atlantis and Lemuria" Frank talks of the Atlantis that I believe in and am interested in. A truly super race. This may have been the garden of Eden described in the bible.
But in 'The Destruction Of Atlantis' Frank starts diverging into many different interpretations of a series of geological and astonomical catastrophes that oblitered much of the human race 3200 years ago according to him. The bible describes this catastrophe as the great flood but could that possibly have been just 3200 years ago ? There are many other similar myths that Frank ties together to try to indicate that they are all describing the same catastrophe (which they may be in some cases).
However he contradicts Plato on a key point and he even admits this in the book. Plato insisted that the destruction of Atlantis occurred 11,600 years ago. But Frank says that when the Egyptians translated Plato's writings they accidentally converted Plato's numbers from months to years so the 11,600 number is much too high.
However that's quite an assumption to make. If you're going to say that you could question every date that's ever been recorded in history. Could the Egyptians really have been so stupid ?
This is just one example of how he takes existing information and makes it fit into his theories.
Then finally on the last few pages Frank starts suggesting that Atlantis may have really been the super race that new agers believe in. It's like he's torn between the new age movement and his desire to fit in with the conventional scientific community which in other places he says he despises.
A lot of these answers were probably contained in one of the many libraries that have been burned and destroyed throughout recorded history by people of many different religions. At one point the book lists all of these centers of recorded information that were destroyed. At the end of the list is the library at Alexandria.
At least Frank survived long enough to write this book. His quest for the meaning of life has taken him to many places including Peru where bandits strangled him to within an inch of his life.
Solid effort, worth the read.......2004-12-12
This is certainly a very thought provoking book--and a welcome relief from many books on this subject that have outrageous (although often entertaining) conclusions. If you're familiar with Joseph's magazine, you'll find this book to be similar. There is a blend of intriguing, often insightful and well researches material mixes with not exactly scholarly writing and sometimes borish details. The book also frays towards the end (an unfortunate common trait of most books on this subject).
I'm fairly convinced that Joseph is on to something, but I can't say I'm sold on it. Joseph's bibilical quotes--aside from those taken from Revelations--are largely unconvincing--many just too far out of context. The timing for the Exodus/bronze age correlation is half a millenium off. Still, it's very good food for thought and very well worth a read. Far more, in fact, than most books on Atlantis.
A book as fascinating as Atlantis itself..........2004-01-16
Any quick search either here at Amazon or in google about books dealing with Atlantis will show that there's a vast number of them out there. The reason i picked this one was that I'd previously read another book by this author (Synchronicity and you) which I found mindblowing.
I was rewarded beyond my expectations. "The Destruction of Atlantis" is nothing short of absolutely fascinating.
Frank Joseph takes all the latest research results available to us, especially those that have been aided by modern technology and combines them masterfully with geological data and -of course- mythology accounts to provide overwhelming evidence not only of the existence of Atlantis but of thorough details of its civilisation and the characteristics of its inhabitants.
But more impressively, the account on how Atlantis was destroyed is hair-raising. These days it's not more a scientific crime to utter the dreaded A-word. Well, not for the most openminded scientists out there. Atlantis is being again revisited and re-researched with a vengeance by a new generation of historians, geologists and astronomers, especially those that understand the concept of looking at mythology as a definitive account of history and not a collection of allegories.
The theory presented here in entirely convincing manner is that Atlantis was located where today's present day Canary Islands are and that it was devastated by the cataclysmic force of a cosmic storm. That included the raindown of asteroids very probably originating from the Taurides. An asteroid of massive size that fell in the Atlantic was responsible for global catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. Tsunamis that rose to 300-500 meters and oblitarated not only that island but most of the coastal civilisations of Greece and Egypt coupled with powerful chain-earthquakes and intense volcanic activity resulting in millions of dead and the freezing of those civilisations. This would then account for the up-to-now puzzling gaps we have about the Bronze age era.
Atlantis itself sank really in one day and night -as Plato had described in "Kriteas"- taking down with it one of the most compelling civilisations of those times.
Reading about such an event is at the very least humbling. Inevitably it makes you think about our current arrogance as a species and the parallels with the arrogance that the Atlanteans themselves had displayed are chilling.
Frank Joseph happens to be incredibly charismatic not only as a researcher but as an author as well. Normally, books dealing with such issues are not always easy to read. Many are riddled with heavy erudite overscholarly styles and dry language, but Joseph's language and descriptive style is a sheer treat.
He provides his own account of that macabrely monumental day when Atlantis went down already in the opening of the book complete with his version of the Atlanteans trying to flee only to be engulfed by behemoth walls of water or to boil alive from the volcanoes on the island spilling surreal amounts of lava into the sea.
He then goes on to detail about the latest data we have concerning the theory he puts forward. His inevitable listing of global myths commemorating a world-deluge is absolutely necessary as it concretely shows that the "allegory approach" of such accounts is naive. The first parts of this book are already capturing but even as you reach the middle and the end of it it only gets better and more intimidating.
The idea of a cosmic disaster of such a magnitude was, is and will remain one of the biggest threats humanity has to face. Recent evidence from the crashing of comet Levy-shoemaker have emphatically demonstrated the type of danger we are dealing with and how powerless we might be against it ultimately.
But coming back to Atlantis, this issue remains one of tremendous importance as it is eventually bound to change the dogmas about ancient history in a rather uncomfortable way for those who approach history in the dry monodimensional way it has been dealt with up to now. The legacy of that civilisation is seemingly haunting in a very interesting way. It dissapeared but never really died. Its implications remain as significant as hey could ever be.
A chilling, intimidating wonderfully researched and presented book and a must for anybody with interest in "alternative archaelogy" even if that term is beginning to lose the quotation marks by now. There's nothing "alternative" about the existence of Atlantis. Nor with other even more intimidating matters. Reality was never "alternative" but it's everfascinating...
More of a question than a review.......2003-10-24
The author's theory regarding the impact of a comet around 1200 BC brings to mind one question: Where is the unmistakable physical evidence of the impact event.
When an object like a comet or meteor collides with our planet moving at 12 to 20 kilometers per second, the amount of energy and radition released can exceed the largest thermonuclear explosion. Even is there is no crater because of a high altitude air burst, the physical evidence is still obvious. For example, the resulting smoke and dust settling out would be visible in polar ice core samples. The 1908 Siberian explosion at Tunguska is an recent example of a small, high altitude impact event. And even 3000 years is not long enough for erosion to obliterate the evidence.
Based on this lack of physical artifacts, I must remain skeptical of the author's comet impact theory. Good try - no cigar.
Atlantis Was Real!.......2003-05-11
The Destruction of Atlantis offers an unusual and thought provoking theory regarding the famous lost land. I found most of the author's evidence compelling and his arguements well reasoned, though they are not the conclusions most readers of books on the subject have come to expect. Most scholars still insist Atlantis is an allegory created solely by Plato, though they vary about what he intended with it. Joseph dissagrees, putting him in the 'believer' camp.
Since I also think it had an historical mode. I was greatfull he was not some academic out to trash it.Because I'm fascinated by the so called Bronze Age [ ca.4000-1200 B.C.] I enjoyed his attempt to set it at that era, rather than the literal dates [ ca. 9593-9420 B.C.].lt meshes with my own resaerch over the last 30 years. Still, many readers may be startled by the idea and some, already commited to another theory might not appreciate Joseph's reduction of Plato's literal dates and scale.They could be uncomfortably reminded of the theory that Atlantis was Crete or the Aegean isle of Thera, which was devastated by a massive volcanic eruption 3500-3650 years ago,despite the authors efforts to distance himself from it. Others may feel he was too critical of it, given that he dates Atlantis demise to ca.1198 B.C., only a few centuries later and also advocates a reduced scale due to accidental errors in translating the story. But, unless Plato made it all up [ as critics contend ] he could not have avoided the sort of mistakes hypothesized and doubtless alterred or added details to suit his own purposes. Ideosyncratic as it is Josephs thesis is not entirely unique, though no one has proposed exactly the same comination of date, location and scale before, much less his mechanism for the catastrophe. Those seeking a primeval super culture that gave rise to all civilization will come away dissappointed, yet Plato never described Atlantis in those terms. In his day the chronology for earlier times tended to be both confused and greatly exaggerated. For interested readers with open minds the book is a veritable treasure trove and well worth its price. I also recommend 'Alien Rapture,' by Brad Steiger which I just finished and 'Unconventional Flying Objects' by Paul Hill. Check out the reviews. I also highly recommend this book.
Customer Reviews:
A must-read for any serious bible prophecy reader.......2007-09-14
The author backs up all his info with biblical quotes and sources. A good book to share with your unsaved friends or family about what to expect in the near future!
The signs are all around us.......2006-06-12
Hunt uses specific verses from the Bible, that COULD NOT have been fulfilled in ANY other time than the one we live in now, to show the time is very short for the "end times" events to begin.
The evidence is compelling and thought-provoking. If Bible prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes, and it is, you need to read this book to see the reasons Hunt believes the time is short.
As for the one-star review from Mike...he confuses the "last day" or "last judgement" with the return of Christ. No where in the Bible does it say that Christ's return immediately commences the "Judgement Seat" of Christ. Read this book to decide for yourself...you will learn that what is happening in our world TODAY has already been fortold in the scripture.
JESUS IS COMING AT THE LAST DAY........2006-01-04
It is so simple. You interpret the unclear verses by the clear verses in the Bible.
Jesus says: "Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day"
(John 6:40).
"At the last day" - not 7 or 1007 years before the last day as Hunt believes.
Jesus says: "There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words. That very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day." (John 12:48)
Hunt needs to accept the word of Jesus when He says "at the last day."
Jesus says: "The hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear my voice and come out. Those who have done good will rise to live and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." (John 5:28-29)
Hunt inserts 1000 years between Jesus' call and ignores the word "all".
See 2 Peter 3:10-13 for a description of the last day. The rest of the Bible agrees with Jesus not Hunt.
Mike
Fascinating, Exciting, and Reassuring Look at the Rapture.......2004-08-12
Dave Hunt amazes the reader with his insights and in-depth analysis of "End Times" hype. Recent authors have done a lot to bring attention to this most crucial element of the Christian faith - Jesus' Return. Wonderfully written and extensively researched, this is a must for any end times library. Maranatha!
Encouraging and Challenging.......2003-12-08
Dave Hunt combines prophecy, history, scripture, and common sense to reveal why every single Christian should believe in the pre-trib, and be looking to the sky for the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Thank you Dave.
Book Description
In this carefully researched book, Hans Holzer, one of the world's leading investigators of the supernatural, presents compelling accounts of encounters with the spirit world. Filled with astounding information about what awaits us after the grave, Life Beyond documents true case histories of individuals who have stood at the threshold of another dimension, lived in previous incarnations, or had first-hand experiences with others who have passed over.
Customer Reviews:
Another great book by Mr. Holzer.......2006-03-26
This is another great book from Hans, but, I wish he'd answer his own questions, like the chapter about reincarnation. He makes it appear as though he's going to explain what he thinks, but only presents a wide-ranging amount of theories. I personally would like to know what he believes in.
Great comfort and reassurance for the non devout.......2004-08-30
Upon the sudden death of a very close loved one, I found this book in the library, in my search to find out what death is all about. That's really the subject of this book. Holzer, who I believe is now in the great beyond, was an intellectual of the highest class and devoted his life to the study of paranormal psychology. Well written, compelling, enlightening, and not at all new-age, this book was a great comfort to me in understanding death, why we die, how life goes on. The title says it all, he tells you and then shows you through stories how he has arrived at his conclusions. This book was written towards the end of his career. All but the most dogmatically religious and die-hard haters will appreciate and be enlightened by this book.
Food For Thought.......2003-06-11
Dr. Holzer has been investigating paranormal incidents for over 30 years. In this book he presents his conclusions about the nature of life and death and what lies beyond. It is very well written, even scholarly at times. You may or may not agree with his ideas but I highly recommend that you read the book, it contains much food for thought.
Most intellectual.. but..........2002-12-16
After reading Dr. Holzar's book I was most impressed by the intellectual caliber of his writings. Its first class. He also raised and comparatively discussed the religious vs. straight science points of view concerning survival of biological death. He gives good advise on how to be skeptical and ask the right questions, have doubts where you should when dealing with psychic mediums. ( I just found one who was reading me through asking questions, but definately not communicating with the beyond)
I was amazed by how many chapters Dr. Holzar devoted to anecdotal stories his respondents had told. I found some of them, especially the spooky ones with faces inside orbs just a bit beyond the pale. Perhaps he should recognize, having a first rank mind and apparently some training in science, that such tales should be treated with the highest of skepticisms. For example he relates one tale of two teenage girls who for some undisclosed reason, decide to bunk in an old house over night. The girls are terrorized by alleged foot steps tramping up stairs. Later on a subsequent evening they get a boy friend to sleep down stairs while they again bunk up. The whole footstep scenario repeats.
Doc Holzar, have you never been a father of a teenager? Do you not know their fascination with such imaginary bumps in the night and hysterical need to tell frightful chilling stories? Not saying it didn't happen, but when folks tell such extraordinary tales, it needs extraordinary proof.
However, this soft spot in the book did not detract from its over all fine quality.
The Doc asks us to be skeptical, but I guess its a case of do as I say, not as I have done.
You Won't Be Disappointed !.......2002-05-18
Just because this book is written by Hans Holzer, doesn't mean it has to be good, but it IS! It is packed with fascinating information and stories. This man is a professional and it shows. His knowledge is vast on the subject, and if you want to learn something, read this book. No disappointments here, and it is priced very fairly for what you are getting. I was going to loan it to my sister, but since I don't want to part with it, I will buy her a copy! Enjoy!
Customer Reviews:
"This stone makes people do strange things...".......2006-05-13
For those who do not know, the Kensington Rune Stone was allegedly carved in 1362 as evidence that Scandanavian explorers reached deep into North America a century before Columbus. Found buried in the roots of a tree in 1898 by farmer Olof Ohman near Kensington, MN, the stone has been the focus of controversy ever since, as to whether it is a hoax or is genuine.
The authors, a geologist and an engineer, reopen the case with an exhaustively-researched phone-book sized tome that considers different aspects of the rune stone mystery. Chapters cover, in extensive detail: the weathering of the stone and its probable glacial origins before use as a runestone, whether the weathering indicates that the inscription could not be recently carved, the nuances of runic characters and usage in medieval Scandanavia, additional marks on the runestone revealed by microscopic analysis that reveal extra shades of meaning, the detailed history of Olof Ohman and others personally involved with the discovery and/or study of the Stone, and the paper trail of archival documents associated with the Ohman family and various researchers. In addition, co-author Wolter describes his personal involvement with the Stone, leading him on extensive travels, research, and interviews. The conclusions shed some new possible light on the meaning of the inscription, its purpose, the identity of the carvers, and the good character of Olof Ohman.
The book is copiously illustrated (photographs on nearly every page) so that all can examine the evidence for themselves. The in-depth detail, while sometimes maybe a bit too technical for the interest of the general reader, will no doubt provide fascinating material for generations of researchers to come, proving that the enigma of the Stone is no less engaging now than ever before. As a descendant of Scandanavian immigrants in southwestern Minnesota, I also found the book fascinating to read simply as a historical chronicle of a Swedish immigrant farmer and his legacy.
Books:
- Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions
- Out: A Novel
- Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction
- Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3)
- Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation, Second Edition (Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations)
- Redemption: The Last Battle of the Civil War
- Return To Me
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
- Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- The Parallax View
- The Skull Beneath the Skin
- Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects
- Site Planning - 3rd Edition
- Deep Sea Dead: A Pauline Sokol Mystery
Children's Past Lives: How Past Life Memories Affect Your Child
Return From Heaven: Beloved Relatives Reincarnated Within Your Family
Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives
One Soul, Many Lives: First Hand Stories of Reincarnation and the Striking Evidence of Past Lives
Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives
